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Health care is a major job creator and contributes to a quality of life that makes the region a destination for everyone, from young families to retirees. Health systems such as Premier Health and Kettering Health rank among the largest employers.

“More than 34,000 individuals are directly employed by hospitals in the Dayton region in clinical and non-clinical careers,” says Sarah Hackenbracht, president and CEO of the Greater Dayton Area Hospital Association.

Jobs Take Flight at Ohio’s Largest Employer

Another 31,292 workers are employed in a variety of roles at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. They include civilian personnel and contractors as well as 8,070 active duty members of the military. When dependents are included, the base accounts for 49,058 residents of the region, says spokesperson Stacey Geiger.

Wright-Patterson’s economic impact doesn’t stop at the base’s gates. It supports another nearly 40,000 indirect jobs, according to Air Force estimates.

The base, the largest employer in Ohio, continues to create opportunities for relocating talent. A 2020 study found that because of retirements, Wright-Patterson will need to fill more than 3,100 jobs in the next five years.

The base has an annual economic impact of $15.54 billion, according to a study performed by The Perduco Group, an advanced data firm.

Private-Public Partnerships in Western Ohio

The region hosts a number of federal research installations, including the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), the primary scientific research and development center for the Air Force.

AFRL plays a key role in leading the discovery, development and integration of affordable technologies for air, space and cyber defense.

AFRL has a workforce of more than 11,000 people around the globe. Wright State University and the University of Dayton are examples of academic, private sector and military research partnerships. With those kinds of research assets, the region is a destination for STEM workers, such as engineers and scientists who can benefit from competitive wages and a lower cost of living.

The Dayton region’s research assets include Ascend Innovations, a collaborative venture founded by Premier Health, Kettering Health and Dayton Children’s Hospital, in partnership with Greater Dayton Area Hospital Association, product-design company Kaleidoscope and the Air Force Research Laboratory.

Ascend Innovations spurs innovation and economic growth by bringing together the fields of medicine, engineering and technology. Ascend’s goal is to create commercially viable products that improve health care.

Expanding What’s Possible

“Ascend Innovations continues to push the boundaries of what is possible for the health of our community. The transformations they have brought to mental health and well-being offer new ways to improve the quality of care for the Dayton region’s hospitals and our partners in health,” Hackenbracht says.

Health care is a major contributor to the Dayton economy and a significant source of career opportunities. Members of the Greater Dayton Area Hospital Association have an $8.1 billion annual impact on the region.

“Some of our talented health care workers are recruited to the Dayton region and develop a deep commitment to this community,” Hackenbracht says. “But that is not the path for everyone, and we are steadfast in our desire to grow our future workforce through partnerships with Learn to Earn and the Dayton Metropolitan Library that allow us to expose local middle school students to opportunities in health care.”